What If?
by Clear Shadow
Summary: Just one tiny simple question lands four girls in the Labyrinth. But why doesn't Jade want to leave? And how are her friends going to drag her back home? **COMPLETE**


What if?

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Disclaimer: I own myself and this idea. That's it. I kinda wished I owned Labyrinth though. It's a good movie. Oh and in case you couldn't tell, everyone in this story has been anime-ized for my convenience.

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"You have no power over me," Jade sighed wistfully as the girl on the screen said her line. Her three friends glanced at her.

"What?" Mere asked. Jade turned to her.

"If some guy told me that he'd be my slave, even someone who looked like that, then that candy-cane looking kid would be history. Sara's an idiot," her friends shared a three-way 'Crazy Jade strikes again' look, "Oh sure," she retorted, catching the look, "Go ahead look at me like I'm nuts but I bet y'all be saying the same damn thing given the choice."

"…. I guess she's got a point," Crystal admitted, "Though I'd hold out for someone slightly better looking."

" *Cough, cough* Ryoga! *Cough, cough* " Jade tapped her ribcage, "Sorry, allergies," the others laughed.

"She'd hold out for Yahiko too," Kristine said.

"Or a Miroku."

"But mainly a Ryoga," the four girls burst into giggles again.

"What would Mere hold out for?" Kristine asked Jade in a conversationally sort of tone.

"A bull," she replied, amazingly straight-faced.

"Huh?" Jade rolled her eyes.

"Honestly Mere the way everything goes over your head I'm surprised that you aren't shorter, Ms. Lactating Cow," Mere growled as Kristine fell off the couch, laughing. 

"It really wasn't that funny," she snapped.

"It's your own fault for not wearing a grooming apron," Jade pointed out and was promptly nailed with a Mere deployed pillow, "Pillows…they burn," she said, rubbing her head, "Definitely burn."

"You think she'd learn to duck."

"You'd _think_."

"Hardy har, har, " Jade said with the accompanying eye roll, "I'm not gonna let you guys eat my food if you keep being mean," immediately the three girls put angelic expressions.

"Know what'd be cool?" Kristine suddenly asked.

"If Skittles fell out of the sky like in the commercials?" Jade said.

"If Jade'd stop being mean to me?"

"If they made Ryoga plushies that go 'Where the hell am I _now_?'?"

"Er…yes, no and um…o..kay…" Kristine looked confused then shook her head, "Anyway. Wouldn't it be cool if this whole thing," she rolled her hand to take in the movie, "Could actually happen?" Crystal snorted.

"Yeah and knowing Jade she'd be Sara."

"Now, hold on. First off, I am whinny but not _that _whinny. Secondly, I don't have a baby brother."

"Yeah but if Jareth was real and gave you the choice you'd be all 'Hell _yeah_'."

"Hey," she protested, "Only if he looked like Yue…or Karuma in his demon form. David Bowie just doesn't do anything for me. 'Specially since he wears more make-up then I do. And that says a lot considering the time it takes me to put my face on each morning," the others blinked at her.

"Ya know that _almost_ made sense," Kristine said after a moment. Jade tossed her short hair girlishly.

"Well then I've done my job," she said proudly. The other three sweatdropped as Jade snickered.

"Confusion," Crystal said plaintively, "It burns. It really, really does."

"Seriously," Mere agreed, "Question: If we _could_ actually make it real, and I'm not saying that we're able to or not, but if we _could_ would you change the story?" Jade opened her mouth to give a smart ass reply then shut it and actually gave the question some thought.

"A little," she admitted, "I would go with him. Given the choice I would stay with Jareth," she shrugged, "Call me whatever you want but begging, sad eyed guys get me _every time_. Plus, I'd go into the stupid painting a bit more prepared than Sara."

"Like how?" Kristine wanted to know.

"More lipstick for one. Better looking clothes for two. And my Walkman for three," the others facevaulted.

"Your _walkman_?"

"Yeah. I mean I do _not_ wanna be stuck in some whacked out maze for twenty-three hours with nothing but that hairy thing, Hoggle and the fox thing to listen too. I'd go nuts."

"Ewww…I just had a disturbing thought," Jade gasped in mock surprise.

"Mere had a _thought_? Call the press!"

"Shut up! Anyway. If Jade was Sara then wouldn't that mean the rest of us would be them?"

"Ooo! I wanna be the fox thing!" Kristine said.

"I'll be Hoggle, then I get to give Jade LSD peaches," Crystal added.

"Thanks a lot," replied Jade, "Guess that means the Mere's Ludo or whatever his name is. Makes sense. They're both _very_ articulate."

"Wait a minute no he isn't..…Hey!"

"Took her long enough but at least we didn't have to explain it."

"Mere I gotta a question. Do you _honestly, _and it's ok if ya do 'cause I'm sure we've seen weirder things, but do you honestly think we could make this real?"

"Sure why not."

"'Sure why not'? What the hell?!"

"Look, in the movie all Sara did was quote lines and BAM! Jareth shows up."

"Yeah but that was a movie," Crystal said.

"So? What do we have to lose?"

"Our dignity if Jade's parents come down asking what the hell we're doing down here at three in the morning?"

"Erm…"

"Let's try it," Jade said cheerfully, "It could be fun, even if nothing happens," before anyone could reply she had scampered up the stairs an into her room.

"She's got a copy of Labyrinth?"

"It's Jade, why are you asking something like that?"

"True," seconds later Jade hurried back downstairs, this time accompanied by her dog.

"Had to fight Daisy to get under the bed but I got the book," she said proudly. The others split a three way 'she had to fight the _dog_?' look.

"Where- forget it. I'm not sure I wanna know. Ok what do we do now?" Crystal wanted to know.

"Erm…find an owl?"

"Be serious!"

"No, Kristine's right. Jareth had an owl form so logically if we say this stuff to the right owl we should get a Jareth."

"Ok I _know_ that, that made _no_ sense whatsoever. It's like she's not even talking English!"

"You're right. I speak fluent Jadese."

"Well, _that_, explains a lot."

"Yes," Jade said, face comically sad, "Now you know my dark secret."

"You tied up Chichiri and kept him in your basement??"

"No! I would never do that to my Chiri-kun!! Anyway. How in the hell are we gonna find an owl?" suddenly there was a tapping on the window. The girls shirked and clustered together. Jade was the first one to peer curiously out the window.

"Guys," she said, voice shaking, "You're not gonna believe this, but there's a white owl tapping on the window," it took several seconds for the realization of what she had just said to sink in.

"You're joking right?" Crystal asked, "I mean this is a normal Jade-type-wisecrack right?" Jade pulled a face.

"No this is _not_ a 'Jade-type-wisecrack' as you so amusingly called it. There really _is _an owl outside my French doors and if you don't believe me you can go an see yourselves," she lifted the heavy green curtains reveal that, yes, there was indeed an owl outside the window.

"So uhhh…what do we do now?" Jade wanted to know.

"Let it in? I mean, it's _there_."

"Oh _that's_ excellent logic," she replied sarcastically.

"Thanks. I thought so," Jade made a 'duh' face in Mere's direction then turned to Crystal and Kristine.

" So what do we do now?"

"It's up to you," Crystal told her, "It _is_ your house."

"Great. Leave it all up to 'Can't-even-pick-out-shoes-in-a-reasonable-amount-of-time-Jade'" she sighed softly and put her hand on the door handle.

"I really hope you know what you're doing," Mere said.

"Yeah," Jade replied, opening the door, "Me too," the owl flew around the room twice before landing on Jade's outstretched arm. The girl gulped and preyed that her intense hatred of birds didn't show on her features.

"So, erm, what now?" Kristine asked several silent seconds later.

"Flyin' by the seat of my pants here," Jade informed her then looked the owl straight in the eyes, "If you're some rabid owl then I'm gonna have to slam you against the wall," she informed it, "But…but if you are in fact the Goblin King then…please…take us to your world," owl and girl matched each other gaze for gaze until, suddenly, the owl bowed its head and all four girls were blinded by a silvery luminescence.

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When Crystal opened her eyes a second later she nearly died of shock. She was, somehow, at the front gate of the labyrinth. _What the hell?!? _Nearby Kristine and Mere were looking around.

"Cool!!"

"No way…Jade's got skills."

"Guys? Guys!" they looked at her, "Where's Jade."

"Well she's not here."

"No, _really_?" Kristine snapped, "Well, it was her show. I bet she's with the owl, I mean Jareth. I wouldn't worry."

"Are ya so sure?" a voice nearby made them all jump, "He _is_ after all the Goblin King. He isn't always the kindest person to be with….er don' tell him I said that," the owner of the voice was a squat stout creature.

"Hey," Crystal said, "It's Hoggle."

"How the hell did ya know my name?" he asked then bad temperedly.

"We've seen the movie."

"The what?"

"Forget it," Kristine replied, "_Should_ we be worried about Jade?"

"Only if ya like havin' her around."

"What's _that_ mean?" Mere asked.

"Jareth is… well he's sorta…Ahh why am I explain' it to ya? Ya wanna go find out then go through the labyrinth!"

"Excuse me, _what_ is your problem?" Mere demanded.

"I mean have I _offended_ you, because frankly you've been antagonistic to me ever since I walked in here," Kristine finished with a cheeky grin. Crystal rolled her eyes.

"Ignore them," she told Hoggle, "Please, I have this funny feeling in the pit of my stomach about Jade. Like she's too far out of our reach or something. Can you take us to Jareth's castle? Please," Hoggle rubbed his large nose.

"I'll take ya as far as I can," he said finally, "If he's busy with this Jade then maybe he won't notice the rest of us."

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"Open your eyes Jade," she felt someone take her hand as she obediently complied. Looking around she found herself in a large circular stone room. Pale sets of eyes watched her curiously from every available shadow. Looking to her left she saw the owner of the hand that so warmly clasped her own. Aqua eyes traveled up a lean frame to a pale peach face, pastel green eyes and grayish-white hair.

"Jareth," she whispered. The Goblin king smiled.

"For a moment I feared you would become hysterical," he said. Jade stuttered incoherently for a moment before she was able to articulate a reply.

"I am _so_ glad that you're not David Bowie. I mean you have _no_ idea how scary that man was in the 80's."

"And I am glad that you are here," he replied then added softly, "With me," Jade squeezed his hand.

"Funny, me too."

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Crystal rubbed her calves briskly. They had been walking for what seemed like forever and God did her legs _hurt_. The others sat around with the exception of Hoggle. who seemed to be impatient to get moving again. 

"Jade so owes us big time," Mere muttered.

"How much longer have we got to go?" Kristine wanted to know.

"We're barely inside," Hoggle replied. Kristine groaned.

"Give me a _break_."

"I gotta hand it to whoever built this maze," Crystal said, "They knew what they were doing," she stood up with a wince then sat back down.

"I don't mean to be a pain in the ass," Mere said, "But there has _got_ to be a quicker way."

"……There is," Hoggle admitted, "It'll involve a trip to the Swamp though. I don't think ya wanna go there."

"The swamp? Wait do you mean the one that smells like ROA?" Mere demanded.

"ROA?"

"Ripped Open Ass."

"Oh. Yeah."

"I don't know," Kristine said, "One the one hand we'll get to Jade quicker and get out of here. But then again the swamp is really gross."

"I think we should go through the swamp," Crystal said, "I can't shake the feeling that something is really wrong and I just want to get Jade and go home," she made another attempt at standing, failed and with a disgruntled look, sat back down, "You might as well sit down Hoggle."

"Yeah," Mere added, "None of us are ready to go again," Hoggle made a move to reply thought the better of it and sat down. After a moment or two he inched over and began massaging Crystal's left calf.

"Thanks," she said gratefully. Hoggle chose not to reply, instead he just grunted.

"Can I ask you something?" Kristine asked tentatively.

"What?"

"Why?"

"…Why _what_?"

"You know damn well what. Why are you helping us? You just met us. We aren't friends, not relatives not anything. So why?" Hoggle paused in his massaging.

"Dunno. Just am I guess," he fingered the arch of his nose, "Jareth'd kill me but I'm helpin' ya all out anyway. Must be getting' soft or somethin'," he stood up again, "If you're ready I'd like ta get movin'," the three girls looked at each other and nodded once before getting to their feet again.

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_I wonder If the others turned up here like I did. Wonder where they are. Wonder w-_ Jade's silent ramblings were cut short when a slim black streak bounded into her lap.

"What the- Daisy!!" somehow, someway, Jade's dog had wound up here as well. She was carrying something which she now spit into Jade's lap, "What'cha got there?" she picked up the device and burst into laughter, "How the Hell did you manage to bring my walkman?" she asked, "You are such a smart dog sometimes!" Daisy didn't reply (which is good 'cause that's too weird even for this story!) but instead licked the Hell out of Jade's face, "Ewww! Gross, gross! Stop it!!" she exclaimed, pushing the dog off of her lap.

"Well, well who's this charming…creature?" Jade leapt a foot into the air and grabbed her dog protectively. She held the stance for less than a second then upon seeing the owner of the voice that had scared her so relaxed.

"This is my dog, Daisy."

"How did she get here?" Jade shrugged.

"I suppose she just slipped in," Jareth reached out a had to pet the dog when suddenly she growled fiercely, "Daisy! Behave!" the dog stopped growling, but her body remained tense and her hackles remained up. Jareth hastily withdrew his hand with an unreadable expression.

"I see. It appears that I am being warned away," he said icily and turning smartly on his heel walked out. 

"I wonder what that was all about," she murmured, "And _why_ were you being so rude?" she asked Daisy who whined and licked her face, "Ergh, stop, _stop_. Ewww disgusting. Licking dogs. Yuck," she set the dog on the ground and sighed, "I don't suppose _you_ know what happened to my friends?" she didn't really expect an answer and nearly expired when Daisy barked once and took off. Jade blinked, then blinked a second time then, "Wait a minute! I can't run as fast as you can!"

Jade wasn't sure how Daisy understood her need to see if her friends had also shown up in the labyrinth, or if they were ok, but she was really glad that the dog was smarter than everyone gave her credit for. She had briefly wondered how Daisy knew where they were going but quickly dismissed it as Daisy following her greyhound nose. They had gotten a good distance into the maze when Daisy suddenly went from a trot to a full on gallop barking her head off. Jade paused for a moment, torn between staying where she was and hoping that Daisy found her way back like when she took off at home, and going after the damn dog and hoping that she didn't get lost. The pause lasted a brief second before Jade made one of her famous Pisces snap decisions and took after the stupid dog.

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Turn after turn, step after step. The labyrinth didn't seem quite this_ big in the movie. Then again this isn't exactly the movie,_ Crystal mused. So far they hadn't run into anything too horrible. Unless of course you counted that goddamn pit that Mere had fallen head first into. Which was bad enough but somehow she had taken the rest of them with her. No one had gotten too hurt thanks to the bazillions of hands protruding from the walls off the ridiculously long pit. Creepy as they were, they _had_ been kind enough to return everyone to the surface. It was an experience that according to Mere was "Like being in a vertical mosh pit. Fun but you feel really violated afterwards," Crystal, though she had never been moshing before had felt inclined to agree. She really _did_ feel violated. She would've said as much but decided not too, Hoggle gave them enough quizzical looks as it was. 

"Are we there yet?" Kristine asked in a mock-whine, "How 'bout now? Now? _Now?_" she almost ducked too late when Mere swung at her.

"Now, now," Hoggle said with the most patience he had shown them all day, "If I hafta turn this…er…."

"Car," Crystal said helpfully. They had been teaching him some of the more interesting phrases from home and that one happened to be his favorite.

"Right. If I hafta turn this cor 'round you're both gonna get it."

"Car," Kristine corrected.

"Tha's what I said."

"No you said cor."

"I didn't."

"Did."

"Didn't."

"_Did_."

"_Didn't_!"

"You did t-"

"Shut-up!" Mere said crossly, "You two are so annoying," she had been in a bad mood for the past hour. Probably due to the pit incident.

"Hoggle, may I ask how much longer we have to go? I mean can't we stop for the night or something?"

"Er…I guess we don' have a choice do we?" Crystal shook her head.

"We're tired and hungry and-"

"And extremely cranky," Kristine interjected with a meaningful glance in Mere's direction. Mere was about to reply when something shiny caught her eye. She bent down and picked up a small round crystal.

"Oh crap," the others looked curiously at her and she showed them the orb, "If this is what I think it is then we're in for a 'Royal visit'."

"A wha- oh," Kristine had just figured out what the object was. Something crunched behind them and they all whirled around.

"Where's Jade?" Mere demanded of the Goblin King. Jareth smirked.

"You don't know? And I thought you were her friends."

"I'm not kidding," Mere growled, "Give her back. _Now_," he cocked his head, amusement written all over his face.

"She doesn't want to go back. She's happy where she is," he caught sight of Hoggle and frowned, "And what, pray-tell are you doing? Are you helping them?"

"H-helping them? Of course not!"

"No?"

"No! I was gonna get 'em good and lost then ditch 'em."

"What?" Kristine exclaimed.

"I see," Jareth turned back to the girls, "Jade's smart enough to know what she's doing. Go back. Your world no longer pleases her."

"What do you care?" Crystal said hotly, "You just want her around so you won't be the only human here! You're just taking advantage of the fact that she's too trusting! All you had to do was look sad for her and you got her eating out of the palm of your hand!"

"Enough!" he snapped, "I will not be talked to like this!" he glared at them, trying to regain his calm, collected demeanor, "If you want her back you will have to get through the labyrinth," he smiled cruelly, "And I will not make it easy for you. Not easy at all," he waved a hand and the ground beneath the group opened up.

"Your Highness! Your Highness!" Jareth glanced down at the goblin trying to gain his attention, "The girl with the dog."

"What about Jade?"

"She's gone sir! She and the dog took off!" Jareth glared at the creature.

"What do you mean she's gone?"

"Went in to check on her, to see if she needed anything like you tol' me to, and she wasn't there!" Jareth reached down and grabbing the goblin by the neck raised him to face level.

"Where did she go?"

"Dunno… sire… I think she went… to find… her friends," it gasped, "I don' think… she… got far. You can still… hear the… dog's… barks," Jareth dropped his subject to the ground. It landed with a loud thud and a sharp 'Ow!' he glared once more at the quivering creature then faded from sight.

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Jade was ready to kill her dog when she finally caught up with it. Her thoughts turned, however, when she saw what Daisy had chased into a corner, cowering away from her high-pitched barks. The large creature was plainly scared and whimpered at the dog.

"Stop it Daisy. Leave…it… alone. Now," Daisy looked at Jade and gave her a doggy grin, tongue lolling, then walked calmly over to sit behind the girl. Jade shook her head, Daisy was without a doubt, a nutcase. She walked over and bent down in front of the thing, "Hey. C'mon now you're not hurt. Hey," the thing looked at her, "Hello there. I know you. You were in the movie. You're Ludo," Ludo looked at her quizzically.

"Girl," he said.

"Yep. I'm a girl," she replied, "I'm Jade. It's nice to meet you."

"Jade…friend?"

"Usually."

"Dog friend?"

"Well, it's really up to her," Jade stood up and beckoned to Daisy, "Here girl," she whistled and Daisy obediently trotted over, tail wagging stiffly. She sniffed Ludo twice and wagging her tail jumped up on him to lick his face.

"Ugh…urghhh."

"Stop that Daisy. Cut it out," Jade grabbed her collar and moved her back, "Stay. Sit. Whatever."

"Liiiiccckkk….."

"Yeah gross huh?"

"Gross," he agreed. Jade stood up and Ludo followed suit, "Do you think you could help me?"

"Help. Jade. Yeah!"

"Er...right. Anyway. Do you know your way around here at all? I need to find my friends."

"Er…ah…"

"….Yes?"

"No."

"Oh. Damn,"

"Damn," he replied, Jade glanced at him.

"Such a stimulating conversationalist," she muttered.

"Huh?"

"Forget it. I'm just…never mind. I'm just me, that's all."

"Ok," Jade sighed and began walking again, this time in the company of one dog and one very large…thing.

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The three girls and Hoggle didn't have far to fall, unfortunately when they landed it wasn't soft.

"Where the Hell are we now?" Kristine asked peevishly.

"In an oubliette," muttered someone from under someone else, "And can yeh get offa me?!" the three girls scrambled to get off of Hoggle who had the misfortune to be the first one to land.

"What's an oubliette again?" Mere asked.

"That's where you put stuff that you want to forget about," Crystal replied, "Kinda like the space under your bed." 

"Oh. So how do we get out?"

"Should be a door 'round here somewheres," Hoggle replied, he began rummaging around in the darkness, "Ah! Here we go!" he put the door up to a piece of wall.

"Wait I know what comes next," Kristine whispered, "A broom closet," Hoggle put a knob onto the door and opened.

"Ta da!" instead of a way out Himura Kenshin fell face first out of the closet.

"Oro…" he mumbled sitting up with his trademark 'oro-face'.

"How did he get here?" Crystal asked.

"Kenshin!!" Mere exclaimed, glomping the Samurai.

"Huh? Uh. Excuse me miss, I don't believe I know you, that I don't," Hoggle pried Mere off of him and shoved the red-haired warrior back through the doorway.

"Get back in there you."

"Do I have to? It's quite dark, that it is."

"Yeah can't he come with me?" Mere begged with a 'Crazy-Mere-gotta-glomp-my-Kenshin-or-else-I-may-die-right-here-and-now' face. Kenshin took one look and shuddered.

"Actually I just remembered that I'm supposed to be food shopping, that I am. I wouldn't want to keep Miss Kaoru waiting, that I certainly don't," he said hastily as he sped through and shut the door. Hoggle switched the knob to the other side of the door.

"Sorry 'bout that," he said re-opening the door, "I always screw that up."

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"I fear that we're going around in circles, Ludo."

"Yeah."

"Daisy did you lose their scent or something? What happened?" Daisy merely barked, and began sniffing furiously. Suddenly she began growling deep in her throat. She arched her back slightly, hackles sticking straight up, teeth bared in a frightening snarl as Jareth stepped out of the shadows.

"What are you doing?" he asked Jade calmly.

"Exploring."

"Jade. Go back to the castle," Jade stiffened, she hated being talked to in such a tone. Ignoring his order she turned to Ludo.

"Can you do something for me?" she asked quietly.

"Yes."

"Can you wander around and if you see three girls like me, can you tell them that I'm alright? If they're here then I bet they'll be worried about me. Can you do that for me? Please?"

"Ok," Ludo patted her head in a comforting way and ambled off.

"Are you finished?" Jade turned back around, the look on her face re-defining glare, "What exactly where you doing out here?"

"I want to see my friends," she replied.

"You- Oh stop glaring at me Tenshi. You're making me quiver in my shoes."

The glare didn't lessen, "I want to see my friends," she repeated, Daisy added a bark then went back to growling. Jareth glared at the dog, "And don't glare at her. It's not her fault, she just doesn't like your tone," Jareth and Jade matched each other glare for glare. Jade smirked inwardly, she was an expert glarer. He'd tire of this contest long before she did, and she was right. He only lasted a couple of minutes longer before dropping his gaze.

"I only speak to you in such a way because I know what dangers lie in my labyrinth. I had feared that you had gotten into danger," Jade's gaze softened, "I would hate to see you hurt Shiro Tenshi," she lowered her head, she couldn't blame him for being worried, not really, "I can show you your friends," he held out a hand to her, "Come on then," Jade placed her hand in his and whistled for Daisy. The greyhound stood, growling still then, at a second, more impatient whistle, whined and joined her mistress.

Jareth brought Jade and the dog to a small rock formation that upon closer inspection showed to have water inside it, it looked a bit like a full birdbath. 

"This is my Mizu kagami, my water mirror," he explained, "With it you can see just about anything you wish," he waved a hand over the water immediately Jade saw a picture forming. Her three friends were sitting around in a circle inside the labyrinth. Jareth walked away to give her some privacy.

__

"We've been walking forever," Mere complained, "Why do we need to find Jade anyway? It's not like anyone'll miss her if she doesn't come back."

"True," Crystal admitted, "She's so annoying. Perfect grammar Jade. Gotta correct everything. Stupid know-it-all that she is."

"Yeah," Kristine adopted a high falsetto, "'Ain't isn't a word. Your typing is horrible. Ewww! Mouth_ funk!!"_

"'Oh, my boyfriend dumped me so I'm not gonna talk for hours and hours so everyone'll feel bad for me," 

Jade's fists were stiff and clenched at her sides. Suddenly she hit the rim of the Mizu kagami. Not a slam, not really, but hard enough to make a noise. Then she whirled around and stalked past Jareth.

"Daisy'll help me get back to the castle," she told him stonily, "I need to be by myself," she walked off. Jareth watched her go with a measure of surprise. The mirror was supposed to make her sad, not angry. He couldn't work with angry. He looked at the kagami, two bloody handprints marked where Jade had hit the rim of his water mirror.

Jade refused, point-blank to talk about what she had seen, not that Jareth hadn't tried of course.

"You'll feel better."

"No."

"You shouldn't bottle it all inside."

"No."

"It'll have to come out sooner or later."

"_No,_" Jareth let the matter fall, he hated how Jade glared. He really had no idea one could hold such coldness in their eyes. Coldness for what? To him for showing Jade her friends? Her friends for whatever the water had shown her? He felt a measure of sorrow he hadn't counted on. He disliked playing with the girl's emotions that way but then again if it kept her with him then so be it.

"I fear that I have upset you," he began, "Perhaps I shouldn't have shown you my mirror?" Jade sighed sadly.

"No. I'm grateful, really. It's just that I hate what I saw."

"What did you see?"

"Please, I don't want to talk about it," he moved closer to her and put his arm around her shoulders.

"You can tell me, Shiro Tenshi. Don't worry. It'll be alright."

"Girls can be so catty," she said after a moment, "You think they're your friends and when you turn your back…" she let the sentence hang then, "Perhaps females really are the root of all evil. It certainly seems that way sometimes."

"Then you must be something different, Tenshi, for I can see no evil within you," Jade graced him with a wry smile.

"You, Jareth, are the Goblin King. I have seen the movie countless times. I know for a fact that your sense of right and wrong is a bit off," he tilted his head to the left, "But then again so is mine so I guess it all evens out in the end."

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"Are we lost?"

"_No._"

"Are you lying to me, Hoggle?"

"………No."

"Yes you are!" there was a whoosh and a thunk.

"Ow! Mere! What the bloody hell did _I_ do?"

"Ooops. Sorry, it's dark in here."

"So don't hit people!!"

"I said I was sorry!"

"Will you two shut up?!? It's bad enough that we're down in some hole-"

"Oubliette."

"-In the dark, _lost-_"

"I said we ain't lost!"

"-So don't make it worse by fighting!"

"Hey I think I found a door!"

"Ooo! Is Kenshin gonna fall out of this one too?"

"Shut up," there was a creak then bright sunlight streamed in followed by something else, "Oh my god! What is that _smell_??"

"_That_ is the Bog of Eternal Stench!" Hoggle replied.

"That's just….just…dis_gust_ing!" they stepped out into the putrid air choking and gasping. The bog, with its many amusing sounds, loomed before them.

"Hey Sir Looneylot's bridge is up here."

"Sir Didymus," Crystal corrected, "And I think we should worry about getting around the Bog first," they sucked in a huge breath, held it, then began skirting around the bog.

The bog, with all its wonder and majesty, was quite simply a huge pain in the ass. Put one toe in and you'll have permanent B.O. That spelled trouble for the more clumsy of traveler, specifically Kristine. In the end they had to tie her to Hoggle who was strong enough to keep them both from falling in. Somehow, for this arraignment made for difficult waking, they reached a small wooden bridge. Mere had just put a foot on it when there was a furious barking noise.

"Stop! Hold it right there!" a small fox-like creature ran out at them waving a rapier. 

"Found Sir. Loonylot," Kristine muttered.

"You shall go no further!" it exclaimed, apparently not hearing Kristine's comment.

"Awww….come _on_," Mere pleaded, "Be a pal."

"None may pass without my permission and that means you!"

"Can't we just kick it out of the way?" Crystal asked.

"_No_ we are not kicking anything," Kristine replied then turned to the fox, "Look you little-" she stopped suddenly and watched in surprise as Hoggle burst past them all and ran across the bridge.

"YOU STUPID COWARD!!!" Mere shouted after him, "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!"

"No you wont!" the fox waved his rapier at her, "I'm not letting you get past me!" Mere growled in frustration and punted the fox into a tree. He leapt up with a bark and came after her.

"Hold it!" Kristine darted in between the two and placed a foot on the fox's head. It ran in place for a moment or two the realized that he really wasn't going anywhere, "Look you. We _just_ want to get across. We have a friend in the castle up there and all we want is to bring her back home. So can we _please_ have your permission to cross?" the fox opened its mouth, shut it and adopted a confused expression.

"No one's ever asked me that. I always had to fight them off."

"We don't wanna fight you," Crystal said, "We just wanna get to Jade."

"Aha!" it exclaimed gleefully, "A quest! Alright then! Of course you may cross! Would you permit me to come along gentle ladies?"

"Uhh…sure. If you have a burning desire to."

"Great wonderful," Mere snapped, "May we _please_ go kill Hoggle now?"

************************************************************************

Jade, being the lovely little stoic Pisces that she was, tried very hard to seem normal while in Jareth's sights. The only problem arose when she refused any and all forms of food. Not only was this her one sign of depression, she also knew better than to accept anything from the Goblin King that he wouldn't eat himself.

"You cannot, not eat," he informed her reasonably. Jade smiled sweetly.

"You first."

"I- Damn, Do you not trust me?"

"Not a bit where food is concerned," Jareth smiled wryly as he poured some wine.

"There, satisfied?"

"Drink it," Jareth sighed and raised the glass to his lips, Jade followed suit and took a sip. The wine was light and fruity but Jade didn't have the palate needed to determine if it was good, bad, or merely different.

"Trust me now?" the girl didn't answer, didn't move, didn't blink. Jareth was surprised, it had taken less time than he had expected to take effect. He walked over and passed a hand over her eyes. She turned and stared blankly at him, aqua eyes wide and still unblinking.

"Who am I? Whose face do you see?"

"My lord's…"

"Who are you?"

"Your lady…"

"Where are you Tenshi?"

"Our home…" Jareth smiled and touched his nose to her own.

"Good girl, Shiro Tenshi, good girl."

************************************************************************

"The bridge is really quite safe, my ladies," the fox, Sir Didymus was his name, told them, "It has been here longer than I."

"I dunno," Crystal said dubiously, Sir Didymus made an indistinct noise.

"Ambrosias! Ambrosias come out here! Come on, come here. Look the girls are quite nice, you'll see," there was a whine and a very large, very shaggy Old English Sheepdog that was ornately saddled trotted obediently out. Sir Didymus leapt onto the saddle and headed towards the bridge.

"Here," he said, "Watch me," the dog had an expression on its face like it knew his master was nuts, "Go on Ambrosias, just close your eyes and go," the dog shut his eyes tight and ran across, "See nothing to it."

"He's joking right?" Mere asked. Kristine and Crystal shared a glance and shoved Mere onto the bridge. She stumbled on with an outraged squeak, realized that she was on the rickety old bridge and therefore could not pound anybody, and ran across.

"You next," Crystal said.

"No way."

"Yes."

"_No_."

"Rock, paper, scissors?"

"Yeah all right. Ready? 1…2…3…shoot!" Kristine held out a closed fist, Crystal a flat palm, "DAMNIT!!"

"Move it," grumbling profusely Kristine took two steps onto the bridge, closed her eyes and sprinted the rest of the way.

"My turn I guess," Crystal muttered and took a step onto the bridge, then another and another until she was maybe two steps away. The bridge chose this moment to fall underneath her. She attempted to leap the last foot and a half, failed, and was grabbed by a furry hand.

"Girl," the furry being told her, "Jade's friend."

************************************************************************

Hoggle ran down the path towards the castle with the lack of care that went with one who was running for his life. He had heard Mere's threat and had no doubt that she meant it. He was running so fast and with so little care that he almost missed the man waiting for him at the gates.

"I brought them Majesty," he panted, "They're at the fox's bridge."

"Good. I admit I feared that you did not have the brain power necessary to get them here," Hoggle bowed his head but said nothing, "But somehow you've done your job correctly and as I have done _my_ part, perhaps we can bring this comedic tragedy to an early finish," he looked off into the distance, "All I need is for Jade to denounce her fiends and she will be mine…." He snapped back to reality and glared royally at Hoggle, "Why are you still here? Go back to the girls and make sure nothing happens to them," Hoggle jumped slightly.

"Yes, right away!"

************************************************************************

"You-you're- You're that-that _thing_," Crystal stammered as Ludo put her safely onto the ground, "You're Ludo!"

"Jade's friend," he replied, "Message."

"Err…yes? What is it?"

"Ah…ummmmm… oh! Jade is ok," everyone sweatdropped.

"Thanks…I think," Ludo smiled.

"Jade say, no worry."

"Oh, she was looking for us?" Mere asked.

"Yes."

"Is she still looking?"

"No," Mere's eyes narrowed.

"She isn't."

"Was taken," Mere's eyes widened momentarily then narrowed even more evilly along with Crystal and Kristine's eyes.

"By Jareth?"

"Uhh…"

"Forget it, it doesn't matter anyway. Can you bring us to Jareth's castle? I think that's where she is."

"No," there was another consecutive sweatdrop.

"No?"

"Ludo lost."

"Great."

"I can bring you there my ladies," Sir Didymus spoke up, "It is but a shot walk from this very spot," Mere nearly ran him over.

"You mean we're almost there? We can grab Jade's stupid ass and get the hell out of here? This stupid adventure is almost over? Reallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreally?" Sir Didymus gulped and Ambrosias stepped back nervously, "Well then!" she slammed a fist into her open palm, "Let's get moving! The sooner we get to Jade the sooner I can kick her stupid ass for dragging us into the damn movie. And I'll be damned if I ever let her watch-" she stopped suddenly, not because she was done, but because the others had left her behind.

************************************************************************

Jade sat on the balcony railing watching the impending twilight. It was the first moment that she had to herself since Jareth showed her his water mirror, and damn if she wasn't going to spend the entire time crying. Better to get it all out now or she'd implode later on. Crying in public was not once of her favorite pastimes. Speaking of public where the hell was Jareth? And how in the hell did she get out here anyway?

"Ok brain, stop it. One question at a time or we'll both get a headache. Ok lets begin with how I got out here," she began pacing restlessly, all former sadness replaced with confusion, "I was at dinner…then…I was here. Damn, not a clue. Not even anything similar, "Daisy whined and pressed her muzzle into Jade's hand, upset because her mistress was. Jade knelt down and petted her absently, "It really irks me that I can't remember things," she wiped her eyes. The crying period was more than done with and it wouldn't do to leave tear tracks on her face for the world to see.

"You truly look like a Tenshi in the twilight," Jareth informed her, coming out of the shadows. Daisy stood between her mistress and the Goblin King growling so fiercely that Jareth stepped back so to avoid the severe maiming the irate dog promised. Jade couldn't remember a time when Daisy was so visibly angry, her hackles were up and even her tail fur stood on end.

"Daisy stop it," she told the dog as she stood up, "He's not going to hurt anyone," when the dog didn't stop Jade sighed, "Then please growl somewhere else," dog and king glared at each other for a full three minutes before Jareth broke the staring contest first and Daisy walked into a corner of the balcony, proud that she had proved her dominance, "I really don't get why she doesn't like you," Jareth smiled

"It doesn't matter, really. Tenshi, you look different tonight. Perhaps it is the way the moonlight illuminates your features?"

"You flatter me way to much," she retorted, "I happen to be painfully adorable."

"You've been crying," he observed, "Whyever for?"

"It's- I- nothing. I'm fine."

"You're not. I know you more than you'll ever guess. You don't cry easily. It is what you saw in the mirror isn't it?" Jade didn't answer for a moment then bowed her head.

"Yes. It hurts seeing things like that. I've put up with it my entire life, I thought that because my high school was so unusual that it wouldn't happen there. I hate being wrong," Jareth walked over and rapped his arms around the girl and after a moment's hesitation, pressed his lips against her neck. Jade stiffened, unused to such attention then relaxed. They stayed that way for several moments before Jareth drew himself up to his full height and locked eyes with the girl.

"This is my mark," he said, "My promise. As long as your bear it I won't let anything hurt you ever again," Jade slowly closed her eyes as Jareth passed his hand over them. When he moved his hand back up over them the aqua orbs slowly opened, "Look at me Tenshi," Jade's eyes traveled up to his face, though he was unsure if she actually saw much of anything, "Look at me and do as I say. When your friends arrive," the wide staring eyes narrowed and Jareth faltered, whatever grip the potion had on her didn't dispel her anger, "Your friends are coming…they want," he faltered a second time as Jade blinked and her eyes suddenly became normal.

"Let them come," she said frostily. Jareth took a step back, her anger had just dispelled the only thing that gave him any measure of control, "I have a few choice words to share with them," she began to walk away, then turned and faced the Goblin King, "Oh, and if you drug my food again I will kill you and burn your city with all of the inhabitants locked inside," she whistled sharply for her dog then left Jareth to stand there.

************************************************************************

"Is that the castle?" Sir Didymus nodded at Kristine's pointing finger, "Good lets go in, grab Jade, and get the bloody hell home and go to bed. I've had enough adventure to last a lifetime."

"Sleep," Crystal added plaintively, "Sleep is good…"

"Food is better," Mere replied, "Jade so owes us home cooking for this."

"Mmmmmmm, ribs…." Kristine was almost drooling, "Pizza…"

"Steak…."

"Chocolate….anything. Good thing Jade can cook. Otherwise she'd be taking us to a restaurant."

"Yeah," the other two coursed. Sir Didymus and Ludo regarded them quizzically.

"Don't ask," Mere advised, "We'll only confuse you more."

"An' confusion burns don' it?" Hoggle asked from just ahead of them.

"_YOU!!_" Crystal and Kristine had to dive on Mere (Hee hee. DOGPILE ON THE BLONDE!!! Ahem…sorry. Anyway) to keep her from killing the dwarf, "Let me go! I won't hurt him! I'm just going to maim him a bit!"

"_That's_ not hurting him?"

"No!"

"Mere, you gotta understand," Crystal said rationally, "Hoggle is a coward. Remember his position? He said it in the movie. He's a coward and Jareth scares him."

"Yeah. My runnin' ain't nothin' personal," he added, "I won' do it no more. Right now you're scarin' me more'n Jareth."

"See? You have sacred him into submission," Kristine said, "Way to be the alpha!"

"Yeah, yeah, fine, fine. I won't kill him. Let me go," Mere shook off her friends and turned to Hoggle who paled considerably, "If you betray us, your entrails will be your extrails. Your— you— I—," she punctuated each word with a threatening gesture, "Pain! Lot's of pain!" she finished. Hoggle gulped, repeatedly.

"Right. 'Course. Let's— let's go on, yes?" with many glances in Mere's direction he led them to the city gates.

"Can we sneak inside?"

"Doubtful. I think the only thing we can do is just go in—," 

"Fighting!" Sir Didymus interrupted, "I'll take them all on, I will!" the others tried, unsuccessfully, to hush up the over caffinated fox, "I'll tear them all for the captured maiden! I'll…They…er….PAIN!!! A LOT OF PAIN!!!!!" Kristine slid her hand around his muzzle and held it shut.

"_Please_ shut-up. We don't want to attract any attention."

"'Sides, Jade isn't a 'captured maiden' as you put it."

"Mmmpf! Mpf, mpf!"

"No. Bad. Shh."

"Mpf-"

"Shh."

"_Mpf_, mpf-"

"Enough.

"Mpf?"

"No."

"……………mpf……"

"Behave."

"Mpf," Kristine released him, "Do you think me a coward?"

"Nope."

"_Truly?_"

"Yep."

"Alright then. Onward Ambrosias!"

************************************************************************

Jareth stared after Jade's disappearing back. How was it possible? How did she know about the potion? More importantly, how did she shake off its effects?

"You gonna let her speak to you that way?" to his left, a young woman was raising herself out of the shadows, "I mean she's been here what, a day? You didn't let us talk to you that way until…ok you still don't."

"Jealous?" the Shadow Walker arched a brow.

"Of her? Should I be?"

"No of course not," Jareth smiled, "Her friends are coming. I need your sisters to take care of them Jari," he looked at the walker, three more women had raised themselves out of the shadows to stand behind her. The four were completely identical save for the color of their eyes. The three behind Jari bowed elegantly before sinking back into the inky darkness they so loved.

"I need you to take care of Jade," he told the remaining walker, "Put her through what her friends will go through if you must, but you can't let her get to her friends until the time is right."

"When is the time right?"

"When the final act has begun I will need her assistance. I will come for her then."

"And if she dies in the shadows?"

"She won't. My Tenshi is far to strong."

************************************************************************

"I don't like it," Kristine blurted out, more to hear something than anything else.

"What my lady?"

"Is too quiet, this. A good sign it isn't," Crystal raised an eyebrow.

"Yoda much?" she asked.

"Mebbe they're all sleepin'?"

"Shut-up Hogwart."

"Hoggle."

"That was rude. Ignore her. She'd just pissed because we're not home yet," Hoggle shrugged, insults never bothered him before, why should they start now?"

"Does anyone hear laughing?"

"No…"

"There it is again."

"Sir Didymus I believe you've gone insane."

"I hears it too…"

"I bet it's nothing," Crystal said dismissively, though they all heard the waver in her voice.

"Hey Juri, that girl called us nothings."

"Well that wasn't nice," there was more laughter as the group drew together. Suddenly there was a yelp. One of the Shadow Walkers had pulled herself out of Kristine's shadow. Two more followed her and walked around the group in a loose circle.

"Nothings are we?" one demanded, her red eyes narrowed. All three, like their absent sister in the palace, wore barely there black leather bathing suit things offset by a flowing cape and a ½ skirt. Their black hair hung long down to at least their stomachs.

"What are you?" Mere asked.

"Shadow walkers," they said as one.

"We're going to have some fun."

"Maybe you will to."

"Though I doubt it.

"It is but a small game we play."

"You win by getting the chokers off our necks. You lose if you die."

"I don't get it," Crystal said, "What the hell do you want?"

"Easy, we like to play," all three said.

"And our king-"

"Told us to play-"

"With you!" As one they raised their hands. The sky above turned jet-black and crackled with a malicious energy. The Walkers laughed once more as the very fabric of reality twisted and spun and turned in and over itself until everything faded to the darkest of nights.

************************************************************************

Jade heard the exchange between Jareth and the walkers, and was a bit pissed. Well, pissed and sad if you wanted to be technical, but who wants to be technical? She had to admit that she was mainly angry with herself. He had tricked her and she had let him. She got it now. The Mizu Kagami was false or maybe the drugs in that wine had made her think that she saw that scene in the Kagami when in reality she had seen something happy. Or it could be that the Kagami had made her think that she drank wine that made her think that she had seen that vision in the Kagami and-

"Whoa! Brain, cut it out! You're burning!" Jade muttered. Daisy whined sympathetically, "Ok here's what I got so far. Jareth can't be trusted. I'm in love but he can't be trusted and trust is the foundation for any relationship. He's got something planned that involves me and the guys and that's why he doesn't want them to get to me. He's gonna have those women do something so basically I gotta find them and fast," she nodded to herself, she was the only one who got what she had just said anyway, and started off. She had gotten about three feet from where she stood when Jari rose out of the shadows in front of the surprised girl.

"Wanna see your friends huh?"

"Yes," Jari grinned.

"Sorry, can't."

"I want to see my friends."

"No," Jade gave her a death glare."

"I. Want. To. See. My. Friends."

"I'll tell you what. We'll play a little game ok?" Jari offered, "If you win I'll bring you to them. All you gotta do is get my choker," she rested her fingers lightly on said choker.

"Fine."

"Confident are we? Don't be. If Jareth was able to trick you with his little birdbath then I doubt you'll get near my neck," Jade stepped forward and made a move to slap the woman. Jari automatically flinched and turned her head to the left. She tensed as Jade's hand came towards her face, waiting for the stinging slap.

A slap that never came. When Jari opened her eyes and turned back to Jade she found the girl to be smiling happily.

"What? What did you do?"

"What's wrong?" Jade took a step forward, bearing down so hard the Jari stepped back, "Scared? Worried that I did something awful? Apparently I'm smarter than you think if my little tricked worked."

"What trick?" Jade took out the thing she had been hiding behind her back and waved it mockingly in front of Jari's face. It was her black choker.

There was a high whistling noise that made Daisy whimper and cower in pain. A wind that neither Jade nor Jari could feel whipped their clothes and tousled their hair. Jari opened her mouth, to scream perhaps or curse Jade and her family to an eternity to moose-inflected-doom, but no sound came out. Instead her own shadow reached up to tug at her cape and skirt, reaching higher and high until she was half in her own shadow. In a last-ditch effort to stay above floor level Jari grasped the floor, digging in with her nails as if she were a cat.

"Thank-you…" she whispered, and was gone.

"Well," Jade said, "Well. Well that was different…yes, different works," she clasped the choker around her neck and paused for a moment, still utterly bewildered, "Damn, confusion burns. That's not even funny. Hmpf. Ah well, c'mon Daisy."

************************************************************************

Black. That was all there was. The kind of black where you can't see your own nose much less anything else. The same kind that made it hard to tell whether your eyes were open or not. That's where Mere found herself after her world had finally stopped spinning. She would've thrown up if she could see any place to do so. _Ok, in a room. Very black. Very quiet…s'ok…no problem… I wanna go home. I wanna go home. I wanna go home. I wanna go home._

"I WANNA GO HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!" She screamed as loud as Mereily possible, then whimpered. She stepped forward, took another step then another, then a fourth then to her surprise, (No really she almost died right there) she touched something furry, "AAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wait…" had something else yelled just as loud? Was the thing in the room with her what she though it was? "Ludo?"

"Jade's friend?" Mere heaved a relieved sigh. She wasn't gonna get eaten. That was good, "Dark. Can't see. Ludo scared."

"Yeah me too. C'mon. Let's go. It's not as frightening with someone else right?"

"Yeah…" they shuffled forward.

"I wouldn't go _that_ way," a cold voice drawled.

"You again," Mere said spitefully, "What the hell do you want anyway? Who are you?"

"I'm Jori," Mere waved a hand out in front of her, the other tightly holding Ludo's paw, "What's wrong? Can't see?"

"Can you?"

"Yep."

"How fair is that?!?"

"Fair?!? Who said anything about being fair?" Mere moved forward. _Keep talking moron. Lead me to you_. "What do you know about fair anyway? You think it was fair for be to be turned into a Shadow Walker? What you think it was by _choice_? It wasn't!" Mere's hand brushed up against a cluster of beads.

"A- HA! Got'cha!" she exclaimed and yanked. The beads came off and pooled into her hand.

"You- what?" Jori's hands flew to her neck. The beads were gone. The effect was as if someone had pulled a plug in a bathtub. All of the darkness was rushing towards Jori, who had tensed up. Suddenly she began swirling along with the rapidly disappearing darkness.

"Thanks," she said, "You friend is deep within the castle. You must go up to find her."

"I'm in the castle?"

"Yes. You'll have to hurry if you wanna get to her in time. Good-bye…" she smiled once and disappeared.

"Ludo confused…."

"Mere is too. But I'm glad that I can see again. Such a nice feeling, that it is. C'mon we gotta find Jade."

"Find Jade!"

************************************************************************

"Um.. um.. my lady... you might want to open your eyes. It is safe to do so, now that I can see again," Kristine cracked open one eye then the second eye. She almost laughed at the scene before her. They were back in Jade's living room. Only it was just her, Ambrosias, and Sir Didymus, "I am confused. Where are we?"

"Jade's living room…weird."

"Oh. What's that?"

"TV, VCR, DVD player, Surround sound. Take your pick," suddenly each one, except the VCR turned on, "The hell?" 

"Sit. All three of you," came a voice from above.

"Er…why?"

"'Cause I said so!!"

"And who are you?!"

" Juri! Now _sit_!" all three gulped, and sat down on the couch, "That's better. Now, would you like some popcorn? Drinks? Anything?"

"No…why?"

"We're gonna watch a DVD while we wait for the others. Ok?"

"Er…"

"Good!"

"Woof?"

"What did he say?"

"Ah. Ambrosias was wondering if it was a scary movie."

"Yes," Ambrosias whined. Kristine made a move to pet him but found that she was frozen, Hell she couldn't even blink.

"What's going on?"

"Well, I can't have you closing your eyes."

"Why?" Kristine asked suspiciously. She got her answer when suddenly the TV screen grew to five times it's normal size and Mathew Lillard filled the screen, "Uh-oh," He was being attacked by The Hammer as Tony Shalhoub tried to break through the spelled glass that had him stuck in a corner, "Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no," Kristine tried to shut her eyes, tired to squirm, tired to do anything as The Juggernaut came up to Rafkin and began throwing him around. Suddenly he smashed Rafkin against a pole. Kristine squeaked as she heard every bone in the character's back break. On surround sound. On very _loud_ surround sound.

"That was…was…" Sir Didymus shuddered. Ambrosias had fled. Kristine was still stuck as the DVD began to go back to the beginning of the scene, "My lady what's wrong?"

"I…_hate_…the sound of bones breaking. I can't even block my ears. I'm so stuck!"

"Stuck, my lady?"

"Yes Sir Didymus. Could you perhaps help?"

"No! That's not fair!" Suddenly Juri leaped down in front of the couch, "No outside help!"

"Oh but it's ok to glue my ass to the seat?!"

"Yes."

"Sir Didymus help!!" he moved forward but was knocked back by Juri's backhanded swipe. Just then there was a furious barking and Ambrosias came charging back into the room. He leapt onto Juri's back, knocking her over and suddenly Kristine could move again.

"Whoo-hoo! Movement! Yes! Oh yeah…something I gotta do…hmm…oh! I remember!" she walked over and took the choker from Juri's neck.

"What have you done?"

"I won," to her surprise, Juri laughed.

"I'm glad," she and the room began fading, "You friend is in trouble. Jareth has her under a strong hold. You can find her downstairs, in the ballroom," she was almost transparent, "You can keep the necklace. I don't need it anymore. Thank-you youngling. You've freed me. I hope your friends are also as lucky," she gave Kristine a friendly smile, petted Ambrosias's head and disappeared. Kristine blinked,

"Well that was weird," she hugged Ambrosias, "What a good boy! Very brave!"

"Yes, quite Ambrosias I'm proud of you," Ambrosias barked happily, "Well then, fair lady, shall we press on?"

************************************************************************

Crystal was not fond of dark spinning….things. In her opinion they were, well bad.

"Is it safe to open my eyes?" she asked, hoping that someone would answer.

"I-I-I- wouldn't," Hoggle replied, Crystal's eyes snapped open, and she shirked. They were on an incredibly small cliff. Honestly, the thing was about a mile round. Cautiously, Crystal edged her way to the edge and looked down. _Yep, thought so. 500 foot drop_ she thought, and fainted.

She was shaken awake by Hoggle. The dwarf was stammering several incoherent sentences at once; it was kinda like listening to Jade when she put to much sugar in her morning coffee.

"Woah, Woah! _What_ are you saying?"

"I had no, _no_ idea about this! I was only supposed to keep you from finding her. That's all I didn't know! I didn't!!" Crystal grabbed his shirt and began shaking him.

"No idea about what?!?" she said. Hoggle whimpered and pointed behind her. Crystal was afraid to look but did anyway. Her pupils shrank to pinpricks and she let out one very loud, very high pitched scream. She quickly stuffed her fist in her mouth to shut herself up but it was hard. How could she _not_ scream when a spider the size of a Clydesdale was advancing on her? She _hated_ spiders! She backed to the edge of the small cliff and froze. It was either the spider, who looked a little hungry, or the 500 foot drop behind her. A drop that most likely had very sharp rocks at the end of it. Crystal's eyes snapped from spider to edge and back again. Taking a huge breath she ran at the spider and began beating on it with balled up fists. She had her eyes closed so she really had no idea what she was hitting but she continued beating it anyway.

"OW!!! Owowowowow!!! Stop it!!!" Crystal opened her eyes. Instead of the spider there was one of those Shadow Walker thingies. The young woman was flinching and had her hands up to ward off Crystal's attacks, "You hit really hard you know that?!?"

"YOU DID THIS!!" Crystal began beating on her again.

"Owowowowowowow!! Alright! Alright! I give! I give!!" she jumped away from Crystal and waved her hands. Suddenly the were no longer on a very small cliff but in one of the rooms of Jareth's castle. The Shadow Walker glared at her, "You _win_ ok? I give up. Besides," she began undoing the choker around her neck, "All of your friends beat my sisters anyway."

"I am so confused," the woman smiled.

"That's alright. By taking my choker you've freed me. I can't remove it myself, go on, take it," Crystal reached over and took hold of the cluster of beads then yanked. The ground rumbled as shadows from every available space made their way to the smiling Shadow Walker, "I leave you now with this: Jade too has seen through Jareth, she no longer trust him and is quite willing to go home. She's on this floor. You must go to her," she began sinking into the floor.

"Wait! I don't know your name!"

"It's Juri," she smiled again, "You may want to question your companion in his involvement you know. He knows more than he lets on…" her head slipped into the inky blackness and Crystal slumped to her knees. 

"That was weird. That was really, really weird," she looked behind her and saw Hoggle trying to sneak through the door, "Hold it!" the dwarf froze. Then turned guiltily towards her. Crystal slowly got up and stalked towards him, "You had better tell me what you know and do it _now_."

"He'll kill me," he whimpered. Crystal raised a hand, "You'll kill me! Alright I'll tell ya! My job was to keep you three from findin' Jade. I was to brung yas here and give ya to Jareth. He didn't say nothin' about the Walkers! I had no idea if I did…"

"If you did…" Crystal prompted.

"If I did I wouldn't've brung y'all here. I'd've—"

"Dumped us all into that Bog?"

"No! Yeh nice girls, I woulda brung yeh to Jade directly," Crystal shook her head.

"Well here's your chance to redeem yourself, bring me to Jade now," Hoggle said nothing, only nodded his head.

************************************************************************

Daisy's keen nose brought Jade directly to Jareth. The Goblin king was an ice prince dressed in pale blue and white, two colors that Jade loved as a combination, he said nothing when Jade entered, glaring as if her life depended on it, but instead turned and gazed off into the distance.

"Well," Jade demanded after a pregnant silence, "Say something."

"And what would you have me say?" 

"Tell me you didn't try to hurt my friends, tell me that you didn't try to brainwash me. Say something to try and convince me of your innocence."

"And what good would that do?" he asked softly, "I am not stupid Jade. I know that you heard my conversation with Jari and her sisters. I know that you have lost what little faith you had in me. I know that you are soon leaving," Jade was silent for moment.

"You are completely clueless!!" she shouted suddenly. Jareth turned around in surprise, "You idiot! You've wasted all this time trying to think of ways to keep me here! Don't you get it? You've always _had_ me. I would've stayed here gladly. You didn't have to do anything! I was content to stay here! Then you spiked my drink! That isn't how you keep someone near you," Jareth's mouth opened and closed several times though he could not articulate an answer. Suddenly several doors slammed open around them and Crystal, Kristine, Mere, Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus and Ambrosias all ran in.

"You were content?" he asked, completely ignoring everyone else. Jade nodded, "You were willing to stay?"

"Jade no!" Kristine exclaimed, "Don't!"

"Come home with us," added Crystal.

"Well? You must make a decision," Jareth told her, eyes locked on hers, "With me…or with them," Jade half lidded her eyes.

"Through dangers untold…and hardships unnumbered. I have fought my way here."

"No. Don't," Jareth whispered, coming to her. Jade looked up at him.

"I have to," she replied softly, tears forming, "I cannot stay here," she began again, "Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here, to the castle beyond the goblin city—"

"Wait, please. Think of what you're giving up," Jareth pleaded, "I can give you anything, _be _anything. I would do all this and more for you."

"I know…"

"Then stay."

"I cannot. You know I cannot," Jareth bowed his head, defeated.

"Very well then. I suggest you say your good byes," he looked at the others who had watched the exchange mutely.

"You mean you're letting us all go?" Mere asked, "As in go home?" Jareth nodded.

"How can I even begin to thank you for your help?" Crystal began, turning to Ludo and the others, "Without you all we never would've gotten this far."

"I don' deserve yeh thanks," Hoggle replied.

"Yeah you do," Kristine told him, "Whatever you did, or think you did, it was probably under protest."

"I can honestly say that I haven't had that much fun in a while!" Sir Didymus said brightly, "I only wish we could've met sooner."

"Ludo sad…" Mere patted his hand.

"Yes I know but you'd be more sad if we were forced to stay here."

"Are you done?" Jade asked quietly. Her friends looked at her nodded. Jade held out her hands, Mere took one and Crystal the other, then they joined hands with Kristine.

"Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered," Jade began.

"I have fought my way here to the castle beyond goblin city."

"To take back the maid you have stolen."

"For my will is as strong and my kingdom as great."

Jade locked eyes with Jareth, "You have no power over me," just like before there was a blinding flash followed by a heavy silence.

************************************************************************

When Jade reopened her eyes, she found herself back in her living room, in her pajamas, and her friends were all fast asleep. 

"Was it all a dream?" she wondered aloud.

"It was no dream," a voice behind her made her jump. Jade whirled around to come face to face with Jareth and four girls that she had never seen before.

"Who—What—" one of the girls, dressed from head to foot in grays, with eyes to match giggled.

"You don't remember?" she asked, "We're the Shadow Walkers."

"You…you have hair like Jareth," she stammered.

"They should," he replied, "They're my younger siblings."

"I'm Jari," they gray eyed one told her.

"Jeri," she had light blue eyes that matched her clothes.

"Jori," her color scheme was pink.

"And I'm Juri," the shortest one exclaimed, she was decked out in greens with eyes to match.

"And I'm confused," Jade replied.

"When there are more than one heir to the throne, the oldest becomes king, or queen," Juri said.

"And the rest become Shadow Walkers," added Jeri.

"Until someone frees us of course."

"Our curse was contained in those chokers," Jade touched the thing in alarm, thinking she was about to become a Shadow Walker. The girls giggled.

"Don't worry, they're harmless now," Jari told her, "My choker looks better on you anyway."

"We just wanted to make sure you all got back safely and Jareth has a present for you!" Jade looked at him, he had remained off to the side, cool and aloof.

"I promised I wouldn't let you feel sad," he said, taking out a small glass ball and weaving it in an out of his fingers, "If you ever feel lonely just look into this ball. It will take you anywhere you wish to be," he placed it in her hands and closed her fingers around it.

"We're gonna make sure he behaves himself so you don't need to worry," Jeri said cheerfully.

"Good-bye Jade," Jari said, "I wish we could've met under better circumstances. I think we would've been close friends.

"Bye!"

"See ya!"

"Good bye!" they began fading from view. Jade watched them go, feeling somewhere between sad and very, very confused. She looked at the ball then held it down for Daisy to sniff.

"Well, what do you think?" Daisy barked happily. Kristine sat straight up, jolted awake by the dogs barks.

"BATTLE STATIONS!!!" she exclaimed, waking everyone else up. Jade put the glass ball in her pocket.

"Kris_tine_," Mere whined, "You woke me up."

"Sorry," she replied, then turned to Jade, "I got news for you. You're not allowed to show 'Labyrinth' at three in the morning anymore. I just had the weirdest dream.

"Hey me too!" Crystal exclaimed.

"Really? So did I," Mere said, "How 'bout you Jade?"

"I did. Very strange dream," she replied, trying to smile, "But a dream is all it was so let's forget about it ok?" 

************************************************************************

Epilogue

************************************************************************

When they all returned to school on Monday, Jade's somber mood wasn't lost on anybody. They all tried to silently guess what could possibly be wrong with the girl on the walk to school. When Jade suddenly whipped around with a huge grin, they were definitely surprised..

"So, where we all gonna sleep over this weekend?" she asked brightly.

"Are you …ok?" Mere asked, "You were just so sad a minute ago."

"Fine, why do you ask?"

"Well, you don't usually go from very sad to very happy in record time," Crystal said. Jade shrugged.

"Just thinking about that weird dream I guess."

"The one where you were dancing naked on a lamppost?"

"I never dreamt that," Mere turned bright red.

"Of course not…I was only joking. Ha ha…" 

"You dreamt you were naked on a lamppost?" Kristine asked.

"No!"

"Liar!"

"Am not!"

"Am too!"

"Not!" Jade grinned to herself as they walked on, Mere and Kristine still arguing. As they drew closer to the school Jade absently rubbed her glass orb. Suddenly she froze in her tacks, causing her three friends to crash into her back.

"What the hell?" Jade didn't answer, only stared in mute shock at the boy who had just crossed their path. Even though he had light brown hair instead of grayish-white and behind glasses were hazel eyes instead of pale green ones, Jade could've sworn it was Jareth.

"Good Morning," he said brightly, "My name's Jarred. Is one of you Jade? I'm new to school and was told that she'd show me around.

"I—she—we—" Crystal gave her a sharp whack on the back, and Jade snapped out of it, "I'm sorry. I'm Jade. Yes, I was told about the new student."

"Oh good," he said happily, "You're so cute, I had hoped it was you," he took her arm and began leading her away from the group, "I'm going to like this school I think."

"I think I'm going to also."

"What was that?"

"Nothing," she replied quickly with a backward glance to grin and flash a quick peace sign at her surprised friends, before leading Jarred away, "So, uh, Jarred, You got a girlfriend?"

THE END


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